If my memory serves me well, the WOS was purchased by the Rolling Stones who just happened to be shopping for the biggest fucking PA system known at that time. Remember, this was the Stones circa '72-'74, w/ExileMainStreet, GoatsHeadSoup-they didn't really care about how much the WOS cost, they would've bought two more just because they the Rolling Stones-and 'buy' the way, no hard feelings about that whole Altamont thing, here's some more money for the trouble.

I was there and as remembered it of course first seeing the sound sytem blew you away. I thought at first it was out of balance a few instruments were way louder then others.The HD afied copies are remastered beautifully and I clearly remember on across the ticket face said sound test.I think they charged $2.50 a head because they were not to sure if the thing would work or work well. It did and as you see this is a very long show w/ some very standout performances.

It's funny how, even after many years and listens, one's opinion of a show can change. That singular moment or listen where it all falls into place.

I used to be a big time hater of this show - something always felt off kilter to me. Now I realize it's mostly the 1st set that is kinda weak; I still feel that there is something noticeably off with Garcia at times on this night(a shame because Billy and especially Phil are unstoppable on this recording). Yet, once this second set jam gets going, it is simply amazing, no doubts about that anymore. The first Playin', Earth-shattering Dew, and the transition from UJB #2 back into Playin' are just nuts. This has finally grown to become one of my new all-time favorite jams!

The '73 Wall of Sound was markedly different than the better known '74 incarnation, and one can google the schematics for both, including the one GD Productions mailed out in '73.

I still have the 2 UD-XLII tapes that a friend sent me in 1976 of this same recording...played these hundreds of times, and this show still holds up as one of the best of the year, fantastic Playin/UJB/Dew/UJB/Playin of course the highlight, but also a blistering opening set, first-ever Scarlet and Cassidy (the guy screaming 'Cassidy' at the beginning is classic), fantastic Black-Throated Wind, and Lesh's monstrous double-stops propelling an awesome China Cat-Rider.
Regarding the crowd, as noted elsewhere filled with kids and their parents, Weir before Deal:"you can sure tell the ones that won their tickets over the radio!"

This is a Dick's Picks as well, not exactly sure which number, its one of the first tGD shows I ever purchased. Playin>UJB>DEw>UJB>PLAYIN - yes please.

How true... the Wall of Sound almost killed the Dead (and BTW: this was just advertised as being the "first" show employing the WOS, but they had been performing for a while with an almost complete WOS... just LISTEN!) yet, to this day, it remains the most impressive and high-fidelity PA-System ever built.

I'm too young to have witnessed the WOS (or Jerry) myself but listening to these recordings brings tears to my eyes!!

This show was advertised by the GD as the official sound test for the WOS, but the WOS had been in use since 2-9-73 Maples.

KFRC, 610 AM, was the local market's Top 40 pop/rock station playing all the hits. KFRC had not played a Grateful Dead single since 1967(Golden Road), but when the GD purchased airtime spots to advertise this show and actually ran contests on air for ticket giveaways the SF Dead Head contingency went into the first of two major shocks for that era -- one, hearing the Dead advertise a show on KFRC with free ticket promos, and, two, the shock of what occurred when we showed up on that night and found half the audience populated with teeny-boppers. There were parents escorting their 13 year old daughters!

I literally thought the Grateful Dead had sold out and honestly, I was glad, because it had become clearly obvious that the Dead needed to become more mainstream just so they could make a buck and just so they could keep going.

We, of the faithful, all knew that that monstrosity called the Wall of Sound was tapping the band dry. Nonetheless, to this day, I have STILL not heard a better sound experience than that which the WOS produced and I surely am lucky to have attended 20 performances, including both the Maples show and this one, utilizing that beautiful monstrosity known as the Wall of Sound.

Minimal crowd noise, instruments and vocals come through clearly, particularly nice playing from Keith. Well worth the download. After years of reading, my first review - must mean something.